April 27, 2023

It may still feel like winter, but spring is just around the corner and it’s already time to start planning your flower beds. When you are thinking about your garden, early is better than late. If you want to purchase and plant your annuals in May, you should have your plan for annual combinations and placements done by April.

Modern garden center greenhouse with flowers and plants.

Start by Watching the Weather and Looking Up Frost Dates

Planting your annuals too early can put them in danger of frost damage. In Michigan, pansies may be available as early as the beginning of April, but it’s not a good idea to plant until the danger of frost is past. Watching the weather and looking up frost dates is a great way to know when it’s safe to put the earliest annuals in the ground, but a landscaping service like Twin Oaks Landscape can do this for you! We know how to watch the weather and know when the best time to plant is.

Do Your Research

Before you choose your annuals for the year, look at the annuals you are considering both on their plant tags and online. This will let you know each plant’s preferences for exposure, light, food, and moisture. There are some annuals that can be planted in early spring when the weather is cooler, and some that grow best when planted later in the spring. Choosing a variety of annuals that can be planted in stages and will bloom throughout the growing season will ensure you have color all year long. If you have questions about which plants will work best in your particular garden beds, talking to a landscape specialist will help you find the perfect annuals for your space.

Popular Annuals

There are so many annuals to choose from. Some of the most popular varieties include:

  • Pansies – early in the season
  • Snapdragons – can even be started in March by seed indoors!
  • Salvia – many different varieties should be planted in sun
  • Impatiens – do best in shaded/semi-shaded areas
  • Coleus – can work in full sun or shade
  • Begonia – work in sun, shade, and have many varieties to choose from
  • Petunias – do best in the sun and come in many colors

How to Create Combinations

When creating combinations of annuals to plant in your beds this season, there are a few things that will help you make the best decisions. First, consider annuals that have similar light and moistures preferences. This will make caring for the bed as a whole much easier. Once you’ve settled on the plants, the placement is the next step.

When placing annuals, think of combos of threes. A low mass of one flower, sweeps of another for the eye to rest on, and a focal point will create an interesting garden. Planting in layers with short, medium, and tall flowers is another way to plan your flower bed to be full without looking cluttered or overcrowded.

Caring for Annuals

To keep annuals looking great throughout the growing season, you will need to prune properly . If you “dead-head” your plants by removing spent blooms, you will stimulate more flower growth. Pinching and clipping will keep your plants healthy and beautiful throughout the season, and can even ensure a longer blooming season.

There are so many annuals to choose from. By planning ahead, doing your research, choosing the right combination of plants, and caring for them throughout the season you will have a beautiful, colorful property all spring, summer, and fall.

To learn more about how we can help you design and plant out your flower beds this year, contact Twin Oaks Landscape.